Best implement for snow removal

[pizzaguy]

Ranger for the light stuff and rear blower for the heavy stuff.

 

[94BULLITT]

99bullitt,
Did you read the description and hover over the lines to see a detail pic for each feature? I ask because it shows how the plow works vs. a conventional truck plow. For instance, one large angled piston instead of two horizontal pistons. And a central pivot point to allow for lateral vs. horizontal float. A crossover valve to reduce shock to the FEL frame. Dual trip springs on each side, etc.
The guys built plows for small to giant sized tractors and loaders- check out their vids and bat wing plows for an idea of how into plowmaking they are invested in design and function.
Hope this answers your question.

A good truck plow will have all of that except it will have 2 single acting cylinders. The HLA 3000 has 2 double acting cylinders. I know a guy that has a HLA 2000. It is a nice blade. I considered a HLA blade when I was looking for one. I don't like how those type of plow work/ perform especially on gravel. I thought maybe you had used a truck plow on your tractor and were dissatisfied.

 

[Coyote machine]

A good truck plow will have all of that except it will have 2 single acting cylinders. The HLA 3000 has 2 double acting cylinders. I know a guy that has a HLA 2000. It is a nice blade. I considered a HLA blade when I was looking for one. I don't like how those type of plow work/ perform especially on gravel. I thought maybe you had used a truck plow on your tractor and were dissatisfied.

No, I used to plow with a Fisher 7.5' poly edge plow on my truck, but no longer have it, nor the plow. My series 2000 only has one double acting cylinder/piston and it is at an angle to the moldboard unlike dead ahead on most truck plows. I'm unaware of any truck plows that offer lateral float in place of horizontal float?
I plow a 400'+ straight downhill drive, and several hundred square foot areas of parking around my house and barn, ALL gravel. I, like most who plow gravel leave a substantial base to keep gravel from being transferred onto my lawn/fields, etc. I have recently reinvented my wheel and now plow the upper lots to one area adjacent to my barn so the snowbanks can melt and flow directly into my stream and most any/all gravel gets contained in one easier to clean pile. I also try to bring the gravel I inadvertently plow back from the pile as I plow or toward the very end of the season.
I'd give this plow an 8 out of 10 on gravel- operator skill plays a part too, of course.

 

[bob2299]

I llive in northern ontario and it has to do with how much snow you have and how long a drive way, I have a front mounted snow bower, but you loose the Fel... I also have an old 1977 Scout international with a plow My drive way is a mile long, so I use the international for has long has I can then when the drive way gets too narrow I will blow it to make it wider.

My cousin and neibour opted for the rear snow blower and he keeps his Fel, but it's harder on your neck. front snow blower is more expensive but for me I am not planing on mooving soon, their will alway's be snow here in winters and My neck is much happier with a front mounted snow blower.

 

[Deerherd]

I had the HLA 2000 on a Kioti DK35 that I used all last season and loved it. I have a 1/4 mile gravel drive with about 300' of pavement at the house. When I purchased a bigger tractor the blade was too small and the guy who bought my Kioti wanted every attachment I had. (Plus I had the blade painted to match)
Here is a picture of the plow:



I purchased the HLA 3000 to fit my new tractor, and Roger is right, it has two cylinders as opposed to one but the lateral float is still there. It's just accomplished in a slightly different way. You can also limit the amount of lateral float on the 3000 by a couple of adjustment screws located on the top of the frame.

Here's the 3000 and you can see about half of the float available by looking at the space below the cross-over relief valve. Can't wait for snow!

 

[Coyote machine]

I had the HLA 2000 on a Kioti DK35 that I used all last season and loved it. I have a 1/4 mile gravel drive with about 300' of pavement at the house. When I purchased a bigger tractor the blade was too small and the guy who bought my Kioti wanted every attachment I had. (Plus I had the blade painted to match)
Here is a picture of the plow:

View attachment 342702

I purchased the HLA 3000 to fit my new tractor, and Roger is right, it has two cylinders as opposed to one but the lateral float is still there. It's just accomplished in a slightly different way. You can also limit the amount of lateral float on the 3000 by a couple of adjustment screws located on the top of the frame.

Here's the 3000 and you can see about half of the float available by looking at the space below the cross-over relief valve. Can't wait for snow!

View attachment 342704

Man, that's a nice 3000!:thumbsup: And the blue tractor is a beast! You should be able to plow all the way to my house no problem!:laughing:
What a nice paint job on the 2000. What did that run you if I might ask?

You look ready to kill some snowbanks!

 

[ksbrdmkr]

I am hoping that the heated cab to be the best investment for snow work. Our snow problem is with drifts and with drifts it means wind and the open station tractor is just to cold for me anymore. I'll take the time to scoop the snow if nice and warm.

 

[jimgerken]

You have gotten lots of great advice here. Here is some more. In an ideal world without regard to cost you would have a cab and a front blower. Then you handle the snow once, its blown away not piled up causing more drifting and making your driveway smaller and smaller all winter like a blade operation will. But back to earth now, since you have a nice tractor and you can dress warmly, assuming you have a loader, give the loader a chance this winter. It may be all you need. If more is needed because the piles really get to you, the next logical step (and the cheapest) is to get a rear-mount snowblower. With the loader on the front and blower on back you can work bi-directionally and it is very efficient. $1500 will get you a real nice big new rear snowblower. One caution: around here you typically can not get a snow blower once winter has started. They are all sold by the time the snow flies.
When I was a kid, all my dad had was the loader tractor. It works, and makes great play-piles for the kids to make snow forts inside. Give it a try.

 

[coobie]

A 7ft rear blade would move snow all day long. $500 bucks seems to cheap for a good back blade.I would step up and get a heavy duty blade for a few hundred more bucks.

 

[JD6430]

My two setups, old but one of the few pictures I have.

 

[duroc]

My two setups, old but one of the few pictures I have.

View attachment 342811

That's a lotta green! Very nice! :thumbsup:

 

[zzvyb6]

I use an 8' old unknown brand truck plow mounted to the front of my 1070. I use the loader hydraulics for up/down and angle. Yes, you need downforce for ice. Works like a charm. I do my own 700' drive in top gear in 1 pass, down and back. When I get inspired, I do the whole county road. Keeping your speed up makes the snow fly away from the blade. Otherwise it just exits the edge.

I can put it on in 20 minutes and take it off in 5 minutes or less. Good idea to make the driveway edge markers inward about a foot. Then the gravel stays within the roadway. I use the plow to push the gravel around in the spring, too. I'm not a fan of loader plows because of the poor steering control at high speed and high plow angles. Yeah, it can be done, but....

Works for me...

 

[94BULLITT]

I'm not a fan of loader plows because of the poor steering control at high speed and high plow angles. Yeah, it can be done, but....

Works for me...

That is one of the reasons I don't like them. I think they should float at the quick attach and not rely on the loader for float.

 

[Piston]

My two setups, old but one of the few pictures I have.

View attachment 342811

:drool:

need.....more....pics

Tell more about the blower? Is it hydraulic? How big is it? Do you snowblow parking lots or roads?
I'm incredibly envious of that setup :thumbsup:

 

[Creamer]

Living in NE Indiana we get a few heavy snows every year. I use my 1710 4WD with turf tires with an FEL and a 6' rear blade. No weighting or chains. I do almost all of it with the rear blade. Gravel drive about a 1/4 mile long. Since I do not have a lot of traction I have to use momentum. I plow in road gear most of the time but sometimes I lose traction when i go up a small hill. Doing a full cleanout between my house and barn and in front of my garage along with the driveway and street clean-out at the end is rarely over an hour after a heavy snow and often much less.

The trick to not removing your gravel is to have your driveway smooth before the snow hits so you can drive it without the blade bouncing and then build up a little hard pack in the tracks on the driveway to let the blade ride on. i have very little clean-up in the spring.

On top of that it is fun plowing at that speed and if there is a little ice on the asphalt at the end of the drive i just hit a brake and and the front wheel becomes the center of the donut so I can turn in well under 5 seconds and be back plowing - of course i do this for the fun and not the speed sometimes I have to make a couple of extra turns!

 

[Deerherd]

I use an 8' old unknown brand truck plow mounted to the front of my 1070. I use the loader hydraulics for up/down and angle. Yes, you need downforce for ice. Works like a charm. I do my own 700' drive in top gear in 1 pass, down and back. When I get inspired, I do the whole county road. Keeping your speed up makes the snow fly away from the blade. Otherwise it just exits the edge.

I can put it on in 20 minutes and take it off in 5 minutes or less. Good idea to make the driveway edge markers inward about a foot. Then the gravel stays within the roadway. I use the plow to push the gravel around in the spring, too. I'm not a fan of loader plows because of the poor steering control at high speed and high plow angles. Yeah, it can be done, but....

Works for me...

If you want to actually plow snow versus push it, the first requirement is to purchase a blade with a correctly designed mold board. What I mean by that is a blade that rolls the snow as opposed to relying on speed to throw it. With a properly designed blade you won't lose steering control because anything over a brisk walking speed, the snow is rolling off the edge. As your speed increases, the snow is actually thrown up and slightly forward towards the side, as opposed to collecting in front of the blade, which causes steering control and traction issues.

 

[JD6430]

:drool:

need.....more....pics

Tell more about the blower? Is it hydraulic? How big is it? Do you snowblow parking lots or roads?
I'm incredibly envious of that setup :thumbsup:

It is a rear mount Frontier SB1308 pto drive with hydro chute controls and hydro drum rotation. mounted on a Laforge GreenLink St4.2 front hitch with 1000 rpm pto. 44in high, 98in wide, dual auger, 31.5 in 5 blade impeller, 2157 lbs. It looks like it sticks out in front a lot but it is closer than it looks in the pictures.

John Deere 6430 snowblower - YouTube

 

[nybirdman]

That is one of the reasons I don't like them. I think they should float at the quick attach and not rely on the loader for float.

Mine does float on the QA and not the FEL float.All depends how you build it.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I assume you have a loader. I would get a back blade abd try that this year. You will use it for other purposes so it is not a risk. You may need either chains or loaded rears or both. But you might not need either. Just be prepared for it if you end up sitting and spinning.

 

[Coyote machine]

It is a rear mount Frontier SB1308 pto drive with hydro chute controls and hydro drum rotation. mounted on a Laforge GreenLink St4.2 front hitch with 1000 rpm pto. 44in high, 98in wide, dual auger, 31.5 in 5 blade impeller, 2157 lbs. It looks like it sticks out in front a lot but it is closer than it looks in the pictures.
View attachment 342885 View attachment 342886
John Deere 6430 snowblower - YouTube

What do you do that you need such monstrous machines?:drool: Give me one!:laughing: Either one.:confused3:
Seriously, why TWO 6430's?!:confused2::shocked: They're too clean- how is that possible?